Tracker device for automatic musical instruments.



C. S. BURTON.

TRACKER DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 24, 1912.

Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH ce,l WASHINGTON. D4 c4 MMM Mr/@ggg f C. S. BURTON.

A TRACKER DRVICR PoR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INCTRUMRNTS. 1,064,704.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vUNITED STATES PATENT @FFICEQ CHARLES S. BURTON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

TRACKER DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application tiled June 24, 1912.

To all fui/1.071% @'25 may concern.'

Be it known that- I, CHARLES El. BURTON, a citizen of the United jtates, residing at Oak Parli, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rTracker Devices for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. forming al part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved tracker device for automatic musical instruments, especially adapted to cooperate with note sheets or controller-s for such instruments. which are cut according to different scales, so that upon the saine instrument note sheets cut according to all the scales in common use may be used by easy adaptation of the tracker device thereto.

It consists of the elements and combinations shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a plan view of an apron or web constituting an essential feature of this invention. Fig. Q is a plan view of the opposite side of such apron. Fig. is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. l. Fig. 4lis a section at the line elon Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a complete tracker device embodying this invention. Fig. 6 is a section at the line 6"-6 on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section at the line 7-7 on Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a. sectional view similar to Fig. 6, showing a modified form of a tracker device. Fig. 9 is a section at the line, 9, 9, on Fig. 8.

In the. structure shown in the drawings, A is a rubber apron, having upon one side longitudinally extending grooves l, which diverge from a transverse line near one end toward the opposite end near which said grooves terminate. Each of the grooves l is connected by a hole 2 extending from the bottom of the groove through to the opposite side of the apron, and on said opposite side of the apron there are formed parallel longitudinally extending grooves 3, into the bottoni of which, near one end, the holes 2, respectively open, so that the grooves upon one side connect with corresponding grooves on the other side through said holes thus forming in the surfaces of the apron a set of air ducts,each of which is continuous from the commencement of the groove near one edge of one surface of the apron to the closed end of the corresponding groove near Specification of Letters :Pat/ent.

Serial No. 705,393.

the same edge of the opposite surface of the apron. The grooves l at their narrower spaced ends are spaced according to a scale preferably slightly less, but in any event as narrow, as the most narrowly spaced note sheet for which the tracker is designed to be adapted; and at their more widely spaced ends, said divergent grooves l are spaced accoi-ding to the scale, or a little more widelyr than the scale, of the most widely spaced music or note sheets for which the device is adapted.

#l is a roller over which the apron is folded, said roller having circumferential rifts and grooves adapt-ing it to fit the surface of the apron having the parallel grooves 3; that is, so that the ribs it of the roller fit snugly in the grooves 3 of the apron. rtlhe roller el is mounted in brackets, 15, l5, for.

rotating about its axis.

G and 7 are fixed plates which extend divergently from one side of the roller et, having their edges next to the roller notched or toothed to tit the grooves of the roller, and being mounted with their outer surfaces substantially tangent to the roller, or more strictlyv speaking, tangent to a cylinder of the diameter of the roller at the bottom of its grooves.

7 and 8 are plates which are mounted in fixed position covering the apron except a narrow interval or rift 9 which is left between the proximate edges of said plates 7 and S, `directly in front or at the forward side of the roll. The plates 7 and 8 are spaced from the plates 5 and 6 respectively, so as to barely accommodate the apron between them, that is, so that the ribs on the two surfaces of apron between their grooves are in contact with the surfaces of said plates 5 and 6 upon one side and 7 and 8 upon the other sida-and thereby converts the grooves into air ducts which by the holes, 2, through which the corresponding grooves communicate are each rendered continuous over both surfaces of the apron from the closed end near one edge of one surface to the closed end near the same edge of the other surface, and which are closed except at the rift 9, where the grooves l upon the outer side of the apron are uncovered. The proximate edges of the plates 7 and S which bound the rift 9, are chamfered off upon the forward or outer side, so that said plates terminate in knife edges which bound the rift 9, the chamfered surfaces l0 being prefraeeneed June iv, 1er s.

erably conforn'ied to the arcs of a circle of coiisiderably greater diameter' than the roll el. @ne of the interior plates, as G, has apertures lf2, positioned ttor registering with the parallel grooves $13 ot' the apron: and said apertures are litted with nipples lil tor convenience in attaching thereto flexible or other tubes l-l, which extend to the pneumatic action tor the well-understood purpose tor which suoli tube (connect-ions are provided from trackers of automatic niusical instruments.

lldeans being provided tor moving the apron longitudinally over the roll, as, :tor example, by rotating' the roll, it will be seen that the diverg'ing' grooves l of the outer side et the apron, crossing' the ritt E), between the proximate edges oit the outer plates 7 and S, torni by the-intersection ot' said grooves with said ritt, tracker duct mouths whose spacing` may be varied from the narrowest spacing ot the diverging grooves to the widest spacing there-ot, all intermediate spacings bei un' obtained in the movementl of the apron trom a point at which the interval or ritt 9 crosses the channels l at their more narrowly spaced ends, to the point where said ritt crosses the channels at their most widely spaced ends. This construction, therefore, aliiords opportunity for adapting the tracker to cooperate with note sheets cut to any scale trom the. narrowestto the widest between the limits i'ixed by the spacing of the grooves l at their most narrowly spaced ene, and their spacing` at the opposite end. incidentally, it will be observed that the device allor-ds means for adaptingthe space ol the tracker mouths to the slight variation which results from the shrinking and swelling' of the note sheets from atmospheiic changes.

lt will be understood that the inner plates 5 and G on the one hand, and the outer plates 7 and 8, on the other hand, together constitute a sheath, between whose inner and outer walls, formed by these plates, the flexible. apron ii is held so as to make air tight, or substantially air-tight junction at the edges of the ribs of both surfaces, thus causing the channels between the ribs to be inclosed except attheir commnnieatine' ends as described. ln order to facilitate tne adjustment of the apron from one position to the other in the sheath walls, it is preferable that the inner and outer walls be eonnected so as to be iovable toward and from each other to relax the pressure on the apron, preventing' it trom becoming stretched or distorted in movement tror one position of adjustment to anetl'ier. lt is preferable, also, that the inner member ot the sheath comprising the plates 5 and o', should be lined in position, the mov nient 'for relaxing the grasp oi the sheath walls upon the apron i being n/iovenient of the outer plates, and particularly is this the more convenient construction because of the tact that the outer plates are separated by the ritt 9, so that they can be more readily moved for relaxing thehold upon thc apron, Brackets l5 and 15, in which the sliatt ot the roller 4l is journaled, are provided with suitable extensions tor rigidly supporting the plates 5 and (i constituting` the inner member of the sheath, of which, it willl be observed, the roll #l also constitutes i part, being exposed. between the proximate edges of said plates 5 and (S, as above described, and being also supiiorted by the brackets. rllhe plates and S, constituting;l the outer member ot the sheath, are hinged respectively at their edges remote troni the ritt 9 to the corresponding' edges oit the plates 5 and (3, and latches lo, 1G, are provided at the opposite ends oit the tracker device, connecting the two plates T and tl lfor holding' them in closed position. lllhen the apron is to be adjusted, the latches will bey released, and the roll rotated by means oit the hand wheel or knob 1T at one end ot the shaft, the engagement ot the ribs of the roll il with the inner grooves 3 of the apron being sutlicient to adapt the roll to propel the apron in either direction. lt may be found advisable, however, in some instances,de pending' somewhat upon the texture oi' the apron, its flexibility and tirmness,vto provide more positive means tor moving the apron by the rotation ot' the roll on its shaft, and for this purpose.. the. apron may be provided on its inner side, along its lateral margins, with the equivalent oit. rack teeth, most conveiiiently in the form ot res cesses 1S for the engagement et' the teeth of pinions 19, ll), mounted upon the shaft of the roll il at the opposite ends ot said roll.

fr iiioditication ot the device, in which the roll il is dispensed with, i1 shown lfig's. 8 and in this torni, the inner sheath wall. com- Drising two members or plates 5 and 6, ma le unitary by an approximately hal'-cyl portion 2i, constituting' a bend which connects the two parts o and (3 at the -n opposite the rit't produced as in e 'ni-rt described torni, by the approxin' ite edges of the enter plates i" and il of tl e l lillhen this structure is ei'nploj'ed, a

is provided extending' inside the senii-cylindrical portion 2l of vthe inner inen'iber of the sheath, said sha'tt having its axis coincident with the axis et said semicylindrical` portion, and on this shaft, at opposite ends of the tracker device, there are provided pinicns, as in the other torni, for engaging the lateral margins ot the apron, which is provided with rec isos le, as in the other torni, iter that purpose, This torni has one advantr over the to En i'irst above described, consi ting in that the tubes 14': can bo connected at the inner surface of said semi-cylindrical bend, 2l., itl desired, this being an area not available for that purpose when the roll t is present; and by utilizing it for this purpose, the apron is enabled to have longer range of adjustment within a sheath of given extent, and this is desirable because itdiminishes the angle of divergence oit the grooves l necessary to produce a given change in spacing between the more narrowly spaced and more widely spaced ends. In this form the inner sheath wall, B, is shown formee with grooves, L, and the ribs intervening between the grooves, 3, of the inner surface of the apron are engaged in these grooves, l).

I claim l. A tracker device for automatic musical instruments comprising in combination with a sheath, a flexible apron having upon one side a set of longittulinallyv extending` grooves, uniformly spaced at each end and diverging from each other, and having upon the other side a set of parallel. grooves spaced from each other, their spacing correspond ing to that of the grooves upon the opposite side near their more widely spaced ends, the apron having apertures connecting the respective grooves of the lirst set with the corresponding grooves of the opposite set located at a line transverse to the grooves at which the spacing of the two sets is the same, the sheath having in its wall at the side of the apron having the diverging grooves, a rift extending transversely of said grooves.

2. ft tracke 1 device for automatic musical instruments, comprising in combination a flexible apron having upon one side longitudinally extending equally spaced diverging grooves, stopping short of the ends of the apron, and upon the other side longitudinally extending equally spaced parallel grooves stopping short of the ends of the apron, the spacing of the second set of grooves being substantially that of the more widely spaced ends of the first set, the apron having apertures connecting the respective grooves of the first set with the corresponding grooves of the second set at a transverse line at which their spacing is equal.: a sheath in which such apron is mounted for longitudinal movement, comprising two portions at an angle to each other and a curved portion which connects them, the inner and outer walls of such sheath being movable relatively to close upon and release the apron, the outer wall having a narrow rift at the said curved portion extending transversely of the grooves of the apron.

3. A tracker device for automatic musical instruments comprising a flexible apron and a sheath in which it is n'lounted for longitudinal movement, said sheath having its `opposite end portions at an angle to each other and connected by an intern'iediate outwardly convex portion, the outer surface of the apron having a set of longitudinally extending grooves more widely spaced at one end than at the other end, the inner surface of the apron having a set of longitudinally extending grooves which are parallel throughout, the apron having apertures which connect the grooves of the first set, with those of the second set at a transverse line at which the two sets are equally spaced, the outer wall of the casing having a rift extending transversely of the set of diverging grooves of the apron, and the inner wall having apertures registering with the grooves of the parallel set of grooves.

4l. A tracker device for automatic musical instruments comprising a flexible apron having at one portion of its superficial area a set of grooves more widely spaced at one end than at the other, and at another portion of said area, a set of grooves which are parallel throughout, and whose spacing is substantially that of the other set at or near the more widely spaced end of the other set, the respective grooves of the first set having communication in the substance of the apron with the corresponding grooves of the other set, and a sheath in which said apron is mounted for longitudinal movement between the opposite walls of the sheath, said sheath having a narrow rift extending transversely of the grooves of the apron at a line past which the por tion of the aprons area having the diverging set of grooves moves, and having an other portion of its extent past which the set of parallel grooves move provided with apertures registering with said grooves respectively.

5. A tracker device for automatic musical instruments comprising a flexible apron and a sheath between whose opposite walls the apron is retained and adapted to be moved longitudinally, said sheath having a bend intermediate its ends, and a rift at such bend; air ducts formed by grooves in the apron crossing such rift, the sheath having apertures registering with the said air ducts at an area remote from the rift.

6. A tracker device'for automatic musical instruments comprising a flexible apron and a sheath between whose opposite walls the apron is adapted to be retained and to be moved longitudinally, said sheath having a bend intermediate its ends and a rift at such bend, the apron having in its surface grooves forming air ducts crossing said rifts, the sheath having apertures registering with the said air ducts in the apron at an area remote from the rift, the inner and outer walls of the sheath being mount.- ed for movement toward and from each other to press and release the apron, and means for holding them pressed together upon the apron.

7. A tracker device for automatic musical instruments comprising a flexible apron and a sheath between whose opposite side walls the apron retained and adapted to be moved longitudinally, said sheath having a bend, the outer wall hav' ig a ritt at such bend, the inner wall comprising a roll .mounted opposite the ritt at the bend, the apron having grooves in its surfaces torming air ducts transverse to the ritt in the sheath, the sheath having apertures registering with the said air duets at an area remote from the ritt, the roll having means for engaging the apron to feed it longitudinally inthe sheath, and means for rotating the roll.

8. A. tracker' device lfor automatic musical instruments and. a sheath between whose opposite walls the apron is retained and adapted to be moved longitudinal v, said sheath having a bend interimidiate its ends, the outer wall ot the sheath having a ritt at such. bend, the inner vvall comprising a roll mounted opposite the rift at the bend, the apron having in its outer surface a set ot' grooves which are more widely spaced at one end than at the other end, said groeves extending transversely et the rift in the sheath, the inner surface of the apron having a set of grooves which are parallel and extend transversely ot said ritt, and are spaced apart upon a scale corresponding to the spacing of the more lwidelyT spaced ends ot the grooves upon the opposite side of the apron, the apron having apertures leading from the respective grooves of one set to the corresponding grooves olf the other set at a line at which the spacing oi.I the two sets of grooves is equal, the inner wall et the sheath having apertures registering with the grooves of the parallel set, the roll having circumferential grooves with which Athe ribs between the grooves of the parallel set of the apron are engaged.

9. A tracker device iter automaticmusical instruments comprising a tlexible apron and a sheath between whose opposite walls the apron is retained and adapted to be moved longitiuilinally, said sheath having a bend intermediate its ends and a rift in its outer wall at such bend, the apron having in its outer surt'aee se'tof grooves extending transversely to the ritt and more widely spaced. at one end than atv the other end, and having en its inner surface a set oit.l grooves extending transversel7 to the ritt and parallel with each other, the spacing of said parallel sety of grooves being substantiallj)7 that of the more widely` spaced end of the opposite set., the apron having apertures connecting the respective grooves ot the first set with the corresponding grooves of the second set, the inner :alle ot the sheath having apertures registering with the grooves of said parallel set, said inner wall comprising a roll opposite the ritt in the outer wall at the bend, said roll having eircun'iterential grooves to accommodate the rit'ts between the grooves ot the parallel set, the adjacentI members ot the inner wall et' the sheath having their proxin'iate edges serrated for iitting the grooves of the roll.

ln testimony whereof, l, have hereunto set.' mv hand, at Chicago, lllinois,lthis 30th dav olf December, 19H).

CLL'XRLES S. BURTON. lilitnesses:

Eemian T. lVnAv, M. Gnn'rnunn ADY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

